On August 12, 2026, Nazarbayev University hosted the award ceremony for Social Startup 2026: Early Stage, a program organized by NU Impact Foundation — the corporate fund established by Nazarbayev University.
Four projects received grants through the program for technological solutions addressing early cancer detection, support for older adults, prevention of psychological crises among young people, and industrial waste recycling.
“NU Impact Foundation is more than a foundation. It is a path forward to create social impact in Kazakhstan, build new businesses that really make a difference, and address social needs in Kazakhstan. Our focus is very much on our students. Our students are amazing when it comes to innovation and entrepreneurship. We have seen so many examples of students coming to Nazarbayev University, coming up with an idea, and having that idea nurtured by NU Impact Foundation — not just through grants, but through hands-on training and guidance, all the way to multiple successful companies. NU Impact Foundation, therefore, in my heart, is a cornerstone of the future impact that Nazarbayev University will have on Kazakhstan and its development — not just as a developed country, but as a country with a heart, one that addresses social needs as it develops through key innovation,” said Björn Birgisson, Vice Provost for Research and Innovation at Nazarbayev University.
Social Startup 2026: Early Stage brought together students, young entrepreneurs, researchers and startup teams developing solutions to real social challenges.
In 2026, the program received 83 applications. Following a competitive selection process and completion of the NU STeP incubation program, 15 teams presented their projects and competed for grant funding.
Their projects were evaluated by five experts from the fields of business, technology, healthcare and venture capital. The main criteria were social impact, the relevance of the problem and the potential for scaling the solutions.
The selection of the winners reflects several key trends in the development of innovation in Kazakhstan. An increasing number of startups are focusing not only on technological novelty, but also on the practical application of innovation to address social challenges — improving access to healthcare, supporting mental health, enhancing the quality of life of older adults, and developing environmentally sustainable production solutions.
Following the expert evaluation, four projects received grants from NU Impact Foundation:
mendiSKIN — an AI-powered mobile solution that assesses melanoma risk from a photo of the skin, including hard-to-reach areas such as those under the hair. The project aims to improve access to early detection of skin cancer.
Alina — a voice-based AI assistant for older adults that combines medication reminders, voice interaction and fall detection with an emergency alert function.
QamCore AI — a digital mental health support system for school and university students. The platform enables users to seek help anonymously via a QR code, while providing specialists with analytical signals to identify psychological risks at an earlier stage.
QazEcoRec — a project developing paving tiles made from geopolymer concrete using industrial waste. The technology can reduce the carbon footprint of production by 40–60% compared with traditional cement-based materials. The project aims to transform industrial waste into a certified construction product and contribute to Kazakhstan’s goals of reducing carbon dioxide emissions.
“We are very happy to become winners of Social Startup 2026 and grateful to NU Impact Foundation for this opportunity. For us, the program was not just a competition, but an environment where we could develop our idea, gain expert insights, identify new growth opportunities and turn an idea into a real project. It is especially valuable that the Fund supports young entrepreneurs and researchers who want to address real social problems and create solutions with long-term impact. This kind of support makes it possible not to stop at the idea, but to keep moving forward. Our mission is simple: to make early skin cancer detection accessible to everyone — from major cities to villages. But today, what matters most to us is not only what we have created, but also what made it possible for us to take this step,” said Anel Amantaeva, founder of mendiSKIN.
An open discussion was held as part of the award ceremony, bringing together representatives of Kazakhstan’s business, technology and investment ecosystem. Participants discussed practical approaches to scaling social projects, attracting investment, developing leadership competencies, and taking Kazakhstani startups to international markets.
The Social Startup 2026: Early Stage program demonstrated that social entrepreneurship in Kazakhstan is reaching a new level. Projects that combine scientific research, artificial intelligence and an entrepreneurial approach to solving specific social challenges are increasingly coming into focus. Such initiatives are helping build an innovation ecosystem where success is measured not only by technological novelty, but also by a measurable contribution to people’s quality of life.